Abstract: A device for analyzing an audio signal to obtain an analysis representation of the audio signal includes a converter for converting the audio signal into a representation representing a neurotransmitter vesicle occurrence in clefts between a plurality of nerve fibers and inner auditory cells of an ear model, and a calculator for calculating a neural activity pattern over time on the plurality of nerve fibers, which results based on the neurotransmitter vesicle occurrence, wherein the neural activity pattern is an analysis representation of the audio signal. The inventive device thus generates an especially suitable analysis representation of an audio signal in which masking effects occurring in the generation of action potentials on nerve fibers are considered. The inventive analysis representation is also suitable for an examination of the audio content and also for controlling cochlea implants.

Abstract: A cochlear implant for processing signal parameters which are adapted for controlling the cochlear implant, which are based on the audio signal and which enable generating a representation of the audio signal by the cochlear implant includes a receive interface which is implemented to receive the signal parameters and a nerve stimulator for processing the signal parameters to generate nerve cell stimulation signals based on the signal parameters. A device for generating a control signal for a cochlear implant on the basis of an audio signal includes a cochlear parameter extractor for analyzing the audio signal which is implemented to generate signal parameters as input information for the cochlear implant based on an analysis of the audio signal using a human hearing simulation model, and a transmit interface for transmitting the signal parameters to the cochlear implant.

Abstract: A method of generating a control signal for a cochlear implant based on an audio signal includes calculating first information on an activity pattern over time at a plurality of inner hair cells of an auditory model, which results based on the audio signal, and filtering out activity events described by the first information, based on a recognition of a characteristic pattern in the activity pattern, whereby cleared information is obtained. The cleared information is further used as a control signal for the cochlear implant, or the control signal for the cochlear implant is derived from the cleared information.

Abstract: An apparatus for determining information about shape and/or location of an ellipse includes a coordinate determination means for determining two coordinates of a first ellipse point representing a point of the ellipse located furthest in the first direction, and for determining two coordinates of a second ellipse point representing a point of the ellipse located furthest in a direction opposite to the first direction. The coordinate determination means is formed to determine at least parameters of a first bent line segment approximating the ellipse at the first ellipse point or in a surrounding of the first ellipse point, and to determine the coordinates of the first ellipse point based on the at least one parameter of the first bent line segment. Similarly, the coordinate determination means is formed to determine the coordinates of the second ellipse point.

Abstract: In a method for generating an identifier for an audio signal including a tone generated by an instrument, a discrete amplitude-time representation of the audio signal is generated at first, wherein the amplitude-time representation, for a plurality of subsequent points in time, comprises a plurality of subsequent amplitude values, wherein a point in time is associated to each amplitude value. Subsequently, an identifier for the audio signal is extracted from the amplitude-time representation. An instrument database is formed from several identifiers for several audio signals including tones of several instruments. By means of a test identifier for an audio signal having been produced by an unknown instrument, the type of the test instrument is determined using the instrument database. A precise instrument identification can be obtained by using the amplitude-time representation of a tone produced by an instrument for identifying a musical instrument.

Abstract: An device for analyzing an audio signal to obtain an analysis representation of the audio signal includes means for calculating a neural activity pattern over time resulting at nerve fibers of an ear model based on the audio signal and means for processing the neural activity pattern to obtain as an analysis representation a sequence of time information describing a temporal position of consecutive trajectories, wherein a trajectory includes activity impulses on different nerve fibers based on the same event in the audio signal. An inventive device for analyzing the audio signal provides an analysis representation of the audio signal generating information characteristic for the audio signal in an especially efficient way. The analysis information generated in the inventive way may for example be advantageously used for an automatic recognition of an audio signal content for example in the form of speech recognition.

Abstract: In a method for transferring a music signal into a note-based description, a frequency-time representation of the music signal is first generated, the frequency-time representation comprising coordinate tuples, a coordinate tuple including a frequency value and a time value, the time value indicating the time of occurrence of the assigned frequency in the music signal. Thereupon, a fit function will be calculated as a function of the time, the course of which is determined by the coordinate tuples of the frequency-time representation. For time-segmenting the frequency-time representation, at least two adjacent extreme values of the fit function will be determined. On the basis of the determined extreme values, a segmenting will be carried out, a segment being limited by two adjacent extreme values of the fit function, the time length of the segments indicating a time length of a note for the segment. For pitch determination, a pitch for the segment using coordinate tuples in the segment will be determined.

Abstract: For characterizing an information signal having an amplitude-time waveform with local extreme values, at first the local extreme values of the information signal are determined, wherein a local extreme value is defined by a time instant and an amplitude. Furthermore, area information of valleys or mountains of the information signal in case of a one-dimensional amplitude of the information signal or volume information in case of a two-dimensional amplitude of the information signal of valleys or mountains is ascertained. A valley or mountain is defined by a temporal section of the information signal, wherein the section of the information signal extends from the time instant of a local extreme value to a temporarily adjacent value of the information signal having the same amplitude as the local extreme value.

Abstract: For characterizing an information signal having an amplitude-time waveform with local extreme values, at first the local extreme values of the information signal are determined, wherein a local extreme value is defined by a time instant and an amplitude. Furthermore, area information of valleys or mountains of the information signal in case of a one-dimensional amplitude of the information signal or volume information in case of a two-dimensional amplitude of the information signal of valleys or mountains is ascertained. A valley or mountain is defined by a temporal section of the information signal, wherein the section of the information signal extends from the time instant of a local extreme value to a temporarily adjacent value of the information signal having the same amplitude as the local extreme value.

Abstract: In a method for generating an identifier for an audio signal including a tone generated by an instrument, a discrete amplitude-time representation of the audio signal is generated at first, wherein the amplitude-time representation, for a plurality of subsequent points in time, comprises a plurality of subsequent amplitude values, wherein a point in time is associated to each amplitude value. Subsequently, an identifier for the audio signal is extracted from the amplitude-time representation. An instrument database is formed from several identifiers for several audio signals including tones of several instruments. By means of a test identifier for an audio signal having been produced by an unknown instrument, the type of the test instrument is determined using the instrument database. A precise instrument identification can be obtained by using the amplitude-time representation of a tone produced by an instrument for identifying a musical instrument.

Abstract: In a method of extracting a signal identifier from a time signal, the temporal occurrence of signal edges in the time signal is detected (12), wherein a signal edge has a specified temporal length. In addition, the temporal interval between two selected detected signal edges is determined (14). From the temporal interval determined, a frequency value is calculated (16), the frequency value being associated with a time of occurrence of the frequency value in the time signal so as to obtain a coordinate tuple from the frequency value and the time of occurrence for this frequency value. A signal identifier is created from a plurality of coordinate tuples (18), each coordinate tuple including a frequency value and a time of occurrence, which is why the signal identifier includes a sequence of signal identifier values reproducing the temporal form of the time signal. The extracted signal identifier is based on signal edges of the time signal and thus reproduces the temporal form of the time signal.

Abstract: In a method for transferring a music signal into a note-based description, a frequency-time representation of the music signal is first generated, with the frequency-time representation comprising coordinate tuples, with a coordinate tuple including a frequency value and a time value, with the time value indicating the time of occurrence of the assigned frequency in the music signal. Thereupon, a fit function will be calculated as a function of the time, the course of which is determined by the coordinate tuples of the frequency-time representation. For time-segmenting the frequency-time representation, at least two adjacent extreme values of the fit function will be determined. On the basis of the determined extreme values, a segmenting will be carried out, with a segment being limited by two adjacent extreme values of the fit function, with the time length of the segments indicating a time length of a note for the segment.

Abstract: A method includes the steps of segment-wise detecting and bringing into coincidence signal waveforms for conversion into monotone and continuous trajectories for real-time pattern recognition, localization, and monitoring optical and acoustic signals. The method also determines transit-time differentials, wherein pre-programmed key signals are detected by signal sampling, data is correlated from the sampled signals, and pairs of signal combinations of given signal transit-time differentials from the coincidence of the detected signals are determined.